Why Physically Meeting Together Critical
Spring has already passed! One Thursday, we explored the profound difference between factually knowing and personally knowing. English, for all its richness, is surprisingly limited in expressing this distinction. In Spanish, the contrast is clear: conocer versus saber. Conocer is always used when referring to knowing a person—implying relationship, experience, and intimacy—while saber refers strictly to factual knowledge. English lacks a direct equivalent for conocer; the closest we come is “to know personally.” In Genesis, when Adam knew his wife Eve, the context reveals a deeply intimate knowing—not merely physical, though that may be included—but a knowing that transcends facts and enters the realm of shared life.
John’s relationship with Jesus offers a vivid picture of this kind of personal knowing. He felt so at ease with Jesus that he leaned against Him during meals. In that culture, meals were shared reclining on rugs, with people circled closely around the food. It was common for friends and family to be physically close, resting on elbows beside one another. This detail isn’t just about posture—it’s a window into the warmth, trust, and familial closeness that marked their bond.
Even more intimate than John leaning on Jesus’ chest is the relationship we are invited into through the Holy Spirit—the Spirit of Jesus Himself. The Spirit speaks directly to us, and we to Him, in a way that surpasses any secondhand knowledge. There’s a vast difference between knowing about Jesus—through stories, images, or teachings—and actually knowing Him in spirit. This is not imagination or ritual; it is communion.
Why Physically Meeting Together Is Critical
The examples above underscore a vital truth: personal intimacy cannot be fully experienced through abstraction or distance. John didn’t just hear Jesus’ teachings—he leaned on Him. The early believers didn’t just exchange letters—they broke bread together. Physical presence fosters a kind of knowing that is embodied, relational, and deeply human. When we gather in person, we create space for shared experience, spontaneous connection, and the kind of spiritual intimacy that mirrors John’s closeness with Jesus. Just as the Spirit speaks directly to our hearts, our physical gatherings allow us to speak, listen, and lean into one another in ways that virtual or distant interactions simply cannot replicate.
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